School head hails moving ‘success’
JON MACPHERSON
ASECONDARY school headteacher whose pupils will travel eight miles for classes has hailed the move a ‘ success’.
Rhyddings Business and Enterprise School will be closed for the entire 2019/20 academic year for building works.
All 570 pupils at the Oswaldtwistle school will be relocated eight miles to Hameldon Community College in Burnley to allow demolition work to take place on two building blocks.
After the announcement in May parents spoke of their ‘shock’ and frustration at the closure and were worried about the impact it would have on their children’s studies.
However headteacher Andrew Williams said the move to Burnley ‘has been successful for both staff and pupils, who are enjoying the facilities offered at the college’.
New pupils who will be starting in September were recently welcomed to the college on a familiarisation day.
More than 150 parents and carers of new students have also attended a successful parents evening to find out more about the new arrangements and facilities.
Mr Williams said: “The move has gone really well so far. We are all enjoying the new facilities, and pupils have settled in well.
“The new intake to the school had a great time on their induction day.
“Going to a different school can be an anxious time but apprehensions quickly disappeared as new friendships were made. The exciting lessons that we had planned specially for them were really successful as well.
“Many parents and carers also told us how positive their children were about the induction day at the parents evening. We want to work closely with our parents and carers to build a strong, long-lasting partnership and assure them of the opportunities to learn their children have in these great facilities.
“We couldn’t be more pleased with how positive everything has been so far and we really look forward to welcoming the new pupils to the school.”
Mr Williams is responsible for managing the complex rebuild of the school, relocation to the temporary former Hameldon site and driving forward improvements for pupils.
Executive headteacher, John Tarbox, has joined the school to support Mr Williams, and is responsible for its day-to-day running.
Lancashire County Councillor Phillippa Williamson, cabinet member for children, young people and schools, said: “This was a difficult decision to take, and one that we didn’t take lightly, but the building work at Rhyddings is absolutely necessary.
“Educating pupils at Hameldon Community College is a really practical solution as it gives them extra stability and allows them to also focus entirely on their education. I’m so pleased that it is working well and that everyone is positive about the relocation. The county council will continue to work closely and we will do all we can to help the school.”